I Died and Was Reincarnated into an Otome Game As the Villainess?
by Felix Robane
Summary: AU Lady Hinata's engagement to the Crown Prince was decided when they were 5. So why does the story begin with an annulment! Past memories, multiple capture targets, and the growth of a Lady! Shoujo isekai trope and Hinata-centric!
1. Chapter 1

"Hinata Hyuuga, I am annulling our engagement!"

Her fiance's proclamation reverberated throughout the ballroom, reaching the ears of every curious guest. The Crown Prince's face loomed above hers with a defiant glare distorting his handsome features. At his left arm clutched the Scholar Student, Sakura Haruno. She smiled demurely up at the Crown Prince, and he turned to her with a triumphant grin.

The room started to spin around her as Hinata felt everyone's attention turn to the interesting and unexpected spectacle at the Crown Prince's Birthday Banquet. She clutched her fan tightly as she gathered strength to speak. "W-what are you saying, Your Highness?" Hinata bit her lip, hating how she had stuttered, but she continued. "This was an agreement decided upon by our families."

"Hah!" snorted the Crown Prince. "You think that will change anything? I've already received permission from the Prime Minister to annul our engagement due to your heinous actions against the noble lady, Sakura Haruno." His eyes filled with warmth and gentleness when he spoke Sakura's name, an act that turned Hinata's stomach upside down with bitterness. "Hinata Hyuuga, you are accused of harassing the Scholar Student Sakura Haruno! You have used your position as Lady Hinata of the Hyuuga House to influence noble ladies to harm an innocent lady. For this, I am annulling our engagement!"

Gasps and small titters arose from the growing group of observers. Hinata closed her eyes momentarily, wishing she could block out the hardly concealed whispers erupting from the sidelines.

"_My, who could have guessed the Hyuuga daughter could stoop so low!"_

_"The Crown Prince is truly a gracious and compassionate leader!"_

"_How pathetic! Using your noble status to harass a commoner!"_

"_A woman's jealousy is truly an ugly thing."_

The heat of tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she refused to show her weakness. Not here. Not now. _You knew this was going to happen, stupid Hinata. Why are you letting yourself get so upset?_

Even though she berated herself, she knew why. It was because even though she had seen this coming, she had done something foolish.

She had fallen in love with him.

Fallen in love with the man who would never love her back. He had been her handsome hero, with his sun-kissed skin, hair the color of gold, and the purest blue eyes that always seemed to take her breath away. His kindness and warmth had always been her strength. He was the prince who would sweep her off her feet and love her deeply for all her days. Or so she had thought until that fateful day many years ago.

She steeled herself to meet the Crown Prince's glare. His ferocity cut through her, but she willed herself to turn her heart into stone and her tongue into poison. _You can do this._ She had practiced this for days. _I can do this!_

"I-I accept the annulment of our engagement, Crown Prince." Muffled gasps again. "These transgressions you speak of are mine… and mine alone. No other noble lady will take the blame for the crimes I have committed."

The Crown Prince's eyes narrowed, and Sakura Haruno's smiling façade slipped slightly. She had not expected Hinata to carry the blame for all of the harassment she had endured. _I'm sorry, my friends._ _This is all I can do to protect you. _Her loyal friends had acted out against Sakura Haruno when she continued to lavish her attentions on the Crown Prince. By the time Hinata had learned of their behavior, it had been too late.

_It truly is impossible to escape the BAD END, isn't it?_

"Very well, Hinata Hyuuga. Leave the palace and never return! I never want to see you or hear your name again."

Hinata bowed deeply and walked out the door with her shoulders held straight. People stepped to the side as she passed. Disgraced and embarrassed as she was, she was still Lady Hinata of the Hyuuga House. Hinata held her pride as her shield and left without a backwards glance.

* * *

The moon's light danced across her bed sheets as the silence of the house signaled its inhabitants' were finally lost in dreams. Only then did Hinata allow a lone tear to roll down her cheek. She sighed and wiped it away. She had woken up this morning expecting her BAD END, hadn't she? What use was it now to cry about it?

_It's over._

That small thought made her smile. She was thankful she had had time to prepare for this moment. She was scared to think of how lost she might have been if her first love had done this without her preparations.

And for that, she had to thank her past life's memories.

_Has it really been ten years since then?_

* * *

A/N: Soooo, I'm really into isekai reincarnation shoujo manga right now if that wasn't obvious ^^ I thought it'd be interesting to play with this popular trope right now by using Naruto characters. It's so difficult to find completed or developed stories in this genre, so I've been thinking of different scenarios to play with that I'd like to occur in the manga I'm currently reading.

I do have a clear plan and pairing for the end game, so I hope I will be able to complete this story. I will say I'm trying to take Japanese characters with Japanese names and make them fit in the more Western world of kings, queens, dukes, knights, etc. so it may seem strange or different sometimes. Hence, the first name, last name and lack of Japanese honorifics.

Current Favorite Isekai: Who Made Me a Princess - Felix is my precious cinnamon roll *heart*


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: I Regained My Past Life's Memories!**

The sound of horses braying and a carriage coming to a slow stop awoke Hinata from her afternoon nap. Her head perked up with excitement and an ecstatic smile spread across her face. _They're home!_

Hinata ran out of the library and down the stairs that led to the entrance of the Hyuuga Mansion. She ignored her attendant's protests to "Slow down, Lady Hinata!" and skipped out the opened front door. A few yards ahead of her stood the source of her happiness.

"Mother!" she exclaimed, rushing forth into her mother's waiting arms.

"My, Hinata! You'll squeeze your baby brother or sister right out of me," said the Duchess Hyuuga with a laugh in her voice. Hinata loosened her tight hug around her mother's swollen, pregnant stomach and laid her head gently against her mother. "Much better, dear."

"The reputation of the Hyuuga House would be tarnished if rumors spread that the Lady of the Hyuuga House runs wild through the Hyuuga Mansion." Her father's stern voice made Hinata release her arms around her mother. His impassive expression demanded a response with propriety. Her heart quickened with anxiety.

"I-I apologize, Father, Mother, Maria," she said, bowing to each in turn. Her attendant stood in the doorway, gasping and face pale upon seeing the Duke Hyuuga who had witnessed Hinata's rash actions.

Her father nodded. "I accept your apology. See to it that it does not happen again." Hinata bowed again, her cheeks flushing from shame. She had disappointed her father. Again. "Come, Hitomi, you must rest in order to deliver a healthy son."

Her mother smiled at Hinata and patted her head gently before walking slowly up the steps to their house. At the top step, however, the Duchess Hyuuga lost her footing and slipped. Hinata watched, horrified, as the next few moments passed in slow motion. Her mother fell backwards amid shouts of worry and horror. She landed on her side on the cobbled floor, gasping for breath. A pool of blood began to form on the front of her mother's dress.

Her father's usually stoic face twisted into fear.

Maids came rushing forward.

The following hours were lost in a blur.

Hinata sat in the library, her eyes dark and body shrunken inside itself. Maria, her attendant, stood at attention on the right. A forbidding silence hung between the two, both replaying the event in their minds and both anxiously awaiting news. The large grandfather clock that had been passed down for centuries hung suspended in front of them.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

The door to the library swung open. Hinata jumped to her feet, ready to follow whoever it was that had come. Her father's steward, Kou, stood at the entrance, his face grim. Hinata felt her heart turn cold. She wanted to tell him to stop. Stop whatever he was about to say.

He ignored her silent wishes and knelt down in front of her. He placed a gentle hand her shoulder. Hinata's body started to tremble, knowing yet refusing to believe.

"Lady Hinata," said Kou, sorrow coating his words. "The Duchess Hyuuga has passed away."

The last thing she hears is Maria calling out her name.

* * *

_You're a disgrace._

_You'll never amount to anything._

An unfamiliar, yet familiar voice. Its sound fills her with dread and self-loathing.

_You can't achieve anything on your own._

"_Ano… xxxx-kun, I-I l-l-love you! P-p-please go out with m-me."_

"_I'm sorry, xxxx-chan. I… I didn't know you felt that way about me. I have someone else I like." _

A familiar pang of rejection and bitterness.

"_Nee-chan! You've already played _The Duke's Bitter Love_? No fair! Here, someone lent me this new otome game! _A Scholar Student at the Royal Academy_. The Crown Prince is so dreamy in this!"_

Otome . . . game?

_Working as a nurse is beneath the xxxxx name. You will work in the Marketing Department at our corporation._

_Your cousin has already established himself as a genius in our corporation. You are still lacking._

_You will marry Toneri-sama in order to ensure the success of our corporation._

_Do not dishonor our family with your failures._

"I-I promise you I will make you proud . . . Father."

"_Hanabi!" _

The sound of brakes screeching. Without hesitation, she pushed her sister out of the way.

* * *

"Her fever will break soon…"

"To lose her mother when she is only six… It is truly a tragic time for the Hyuuga House."

"The Duchess Hyuuga and the unborn babe… I heard the Duke has left the Mansion to the Royal City."

"He is trying to hide his grief in his work. Our poor Duke and Lady."

"What shall we do about our Lady? Should we wake her?"

"Shh, let her rest. She will have the rest of her life to mourn."

* * *

_I used to work at my father's corporation. I was a twenty-three year old office lady in Japan. I was in an arranged marriage. I… loved someone. And was rejected. My father… hated me._

Hinata's eyes fluttered open. A dim fire was lit in her fireplace and its dying light illuminated a luxuriously decorated room. Was she at her apartment in Tokyo? _No… this is…_

Memories flooded her mind. Hinata clutched her head, forcing herself to endure the pain as two lifetimes of memories attempted to burn themselves into her head. Her life as the Lady Hinata. Her life as a corporate slave. Her life with a loving mother and cold father. Her life with a father who had detested her and her countless failures since birth. Her childhood dedicated to crushing on her future fiancé, the Crown Prince. Her sad adulthood without a single meaningful relationship. Her life dedicated to otome games as her only shared interest with her younger sister.

_I had a younger sister._

"Hana…bi…?"

The name rolled off her tongue with ease. Hanabi.

The hazy voices she had heard during her fever-induced stupor had mentioned an "unborn babe." Did that mean her sibling had passed away as well?

Hinata leapt to her feet and immediately regretted it. The swift movement made her light-headed, and she had to grab her nightstand to steady herself. She glanced at her chubby, childish hands with curiosity. They were such a contrast to the calloused hands she had seen in her memories.

_Why were my hands calloused?_

Martial arts. The unfamiliar word in this world rushed to the forefront of her mind. _That's right…_ The xxxxx family had been masters of martial arts and kendo. The heiress—_ex-heiress_, amended Hinata—had also been expected to be a master. Except she had not been. Her cousin and her younger sister had both surpassed her athletically. Academically. Socially.

No wonder her father in her past had despised her.

Hinata winced at her reproachful words. Despite being her own thoughts, that didn't make it hurt any less.

A photo on her nightstand caught her eyes. She blushed, realizing it was a photo she had kept from her engagement ceremony. The bright grin and mischievous aqua eyes of the Crown Prince, Naruto Namikaze, had enraptured Hinata from the moment she laid eyes on him. Meeting him in person at their official engagement ceremony a year ago had only enforced her budding crush on him. He had greeted her with a kind smile and a strong handshake. The memory of his smile had helped her endure countless hours of etiquette, poise, dancing, politics, accounting, and other classes. All for the sake of being his wife.

Wait.

She had seen his face before too in her previous life. But he had been a man, then. The Crown Prince…

_A Scholar Student at the Royal Academy._

Otome game.

"D-does this mean… I'm in an otome game?" she asked aloud in horror.

* * *

Hinata stared blankly at the tombstone in front of her. The overcast clouds had produced a small drizzle. Maria held an umbrella above her, barely stifling tears of her own.

_Here lies the beloved Hitomi Hyuuga  
__Duchess of the Hyuuga House_

A small stone laid next to the Duchess's. Her sister's grave. The tombstone was blank. Her sister had never even received a name. Hinata grasped the front of her black cloak with sadness.

"Hanabi."

"What, my Lady?"

"M-my sister's name… is Hanabi."

Maria did not question her. "Hanabi. That is a beautiful name."

"Thank you," said Hinata quietly.

Only then did tears flow down her face.

Mother.

Hanabi.

_I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you in this life_, thought Hinata with regret and bitterness.

* * *

A few weeks had passed since her mother's and sister's funeral. Her father had yet to return from the Royal City. His work as the aide to the King often sent him away for many days, but he had never left Hinata alone this long before.

_It's okay_, thought Hinata with a sigh. _I wouldn't know how to act or talk around him right now anyways._

It was true. After regaining the memories of her past life, her personality as a "Lady Hinata" had shifted. She was no longer an innocent child smitten with her mother. She was often found sitting in the garden, lost in thought, observing the cooks in the kitchen as they prepared meals, or reading advanced books beyond her age. These were not normal activities for the "Lady Hinata" of the past. However, no one had questioned Hinata, chalking up her strange habits to the loss of her mother and sister.

Hinata had not been lost in thought due to those reasons, though. Rather, she had regained her previous life's memories and made a shocking discovery.

She was inside the world of an otome game. A game crafted for lonely single women to capture love targets. And the title of this game? _A Scholar Student in the Royal Academy_. In this game, the heroine is a beautiful commoner who enters into the coveted and exclusive Royal Academy on a scholarship. The heroine is also a wielder of Light Magic, which gives her healing abilities, a rare skill in this world. At the Royal Academy, the heroine captures the hearts of various love targets with her intelligence and beauty.

Hinata was certain she had not been reincarnated as the heroine because she held the status of a Duke's daughter, which is as near to the status of the Royal Family as possible. This was why she had been a candidate for the Crown Prince's fiancee. She also could not wield Light Magic and was instead proficient with Water Magic, which was a more defensive ability.

Not all of her memories had returned to her yet, though. Hinata could not remember who the capture targets were, although she was certain the Crown Prince Naruto was one of them. If so, then perhaps she would receive a HAPPY END, since she was already engaged to him? Hinata blushed slightly at the atrocity of her thoughts. Physically, she was still a six-year old child, but mentally, she felt like a twenty-three year old. She couldn't deny that the Crown Prince was still an adorable child, though.

This also meant that Hinata couldn't remember her character's role in the game. Most of the game focused on the Scholar Student's interactions with male students. She could not recall a time when female characters were introduced.

A sudden rush of maids rushing to the entrance caught her attention. Hinata got up from her shaded sitting area at her late mother's garden and followed behind them. She pulled the skirt of a maid and asked, "Nalia, w-why is everyone rushing?"

The maid looked down at her with a smile but continued walking. "Lady Hinata, the Duke has returned!"

Hinata released the maid's skirt. Dread filled her inside. _F-father…._

Although her father had always been stern and distant to her, he had never been cruel. However, the memories she had from her past life had . . . frightened her. Her father had been a vicious and cold man, willing to sacrifice Hinata for his goals. Hinata licked her dry lips and clutched her necklace, a keepsake passed down from her mother who had received it from her mother.

"Mother, please be with me."

She walked forward with trepidation and anxiety. As she approached the opened doors, a familiar sense of foreboding filled her. The last time she had approached these doors… her mother had fallen and died. This anxiety almost stopped her. But her father's voice called out to her.

"Hinata, come here. I have someone to introduce to you."

Hinata walked outside towards her father's carriage. He was standing there, holding the shoulder of a smaller figure. It was a boy around her age, if not older. He had long, dark hair, possessed the signature pearlescent Hyuuga eyes and looked similar to her father, despite still retaining some of his baby fat on his cheeks.

"This is your cousin, Hinata. His name is Neji. I have adopted him and plan to make him my heir," said her father, in the same tone as one would mention the weather.

Hinata's heart raced, and she stumbled in her bow to greet him.

_H-heir?!_

The maids and butlers made no sound at her father's statement, but the way their bodies tightened revealed their true thoughts. An unfamiliar Hyuuga would be taking over the Hyuuga House. …because the Duke would never marry again.

Hinata exhaled shakily and raised her eyes to meet her father's. His expression was, if possible, even more difficult to read than it had been in the past. Despite this, Hinata realized something about her father that made it easier to understand him. _This was how much he loved Mother._ He had loved his wife. Perhaps he also loved Hinata…

"G-greetings, Father and brother Neji," said Hinata, stuttering with her welcome. "I am so happy to hear that Neji will be joining our family."

Her father nodded. "I will be in my study. Kou, take Neji's things to his room. You two, get along." And he left without another word.

Neji followed Hinata into their house in silence. Hinata had never been great at making small talk, in this life or her previous, so she struggled to say something. Her father's servants left them alone in the hallway as if sensing the tension and wishing them to get to know each other. She turned to him with hesitation.

"U-um, this is your home now. I hope it is to your liking, brother Neji."

Neji's gaze met her nervous one. Icy eyes seared into her soul. In them, Hinata sensed hatred and anger . . . for her?

"I am not your brother."

With that, Neji turned on his heel in the direction of Kou and the other servants.

Watching his departing figure, Hinata shivered. However, it was not Neji's frigid tone that caused her to shiver. Another memory of the otome game had come back to her.

Neji is a potential capture target. And in all of his paths, he strikes down the Crown Prince's fiancee due to her constantly bullying and harassing the heroine. He does this in order to gain the heroine's affection, as well as to secure his right as heir to the Hyuuga House.

_Which means, Neji will kill me one day._

In other words—

_In this otome game... I'm the villainess!_

* * *

A/N: Wow, raise your hand if you didn't expect that ending! Haha, just kidding. I think the ridiculously long names of Light Novels and manga are hilarious and so unnecessary. Which is how I chose the title of this. lol.

Plot is continuing to move on. Hinata is currently six years old, Neji is seven. We will spend a few more chapters in their childhood and then jump back into the present post-annulment to develop love flags.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Striking Down My First Death Flag**

Thin tendrils of sunlight stretched across the expanse of the lush green lands as the sun began to rise above the clear horizon. Hinata admired the sight of a new day from the top of the highest hill inside the Hyuuga Mansion's territory. Trees adorned the path she had taken today, and she marveled at their impressive height. The beautiful natural landscape surrounding her home was a stark contrast from the cement city she had grown up in her past life. Hinata breathed in the scent of fresh pine and wood and felt a sense of calm overtake her.

She allowed herself to relish her small moment of peace before surveying the downhill path behind her. Her breathing, which had been rough and force, grew softer as her pounding heart slowed to a more acceptable rate. Her morning jog had been a success!

Hinata's revelation a month ago that _she _was the villainess of the otome game had stirred other memories as well. Her death was not only imminent in Neji's route – death flags awaited her in every target's route due to rumors and allegations that always pinpointed her as the mastermind behind assassination attempts on the heroine's life!

Hinata's first response had been to feel crushed by the dark fate that loomed ahead of her. What could she do in the face of countless pre-determined BAD ENDS? However, she didn't let this feeling take hold of her for long. Selfish as it may seem, Hinata was determined.

_I want to live!_

Her past life's memories had synchronized with her present life's personality and thoughts – the feeling that had always pushed her through every trial was this: _I want to find happiness._

In her past life, her happiness was following the love of her life. Hinata's family life had demanded every fiber of her being and even then, that was never enough. _She_ was never enough. And so, she found a beacon of light in her beloved. He was her first love and it was thanks to his encouragement and strength that she had made it through every obstacle in her life. However… he had never been hers. His rejection of her had made that clear.

Her first love's rejection brought her to the brink of despair. _He was the one who took my hand when my family forsook me. Without him, I am nothing. I'm worthless to my family. I'm unnecessary in this world. Who would even care if I died…?_

Those dark thoughts encouraged her past self to almost commit an act she could never take back.

That is, until her younger sister showed up at her door with all of her belongings. _I've ran away from that shitty house. I won't become the heiress. I'm going to become an otome game developer! So, let me stay with you, nee-san._

Her younger sister's words saved her.

_Even without my family, I can find my own happiness._

That was what her sister had taught her. This was why her relationship with her sister had saved her. Otome games connected her to her sweet younger sister, and it was this small happiness that saved her from her despair. Hinata knew… she had to live. She had used her own life to save her sister's life. With this second chance, Hinata was determined. She was determined to live this life in a way that would make Hanabi proud.

Which was why she had started running every morning before dawn.

The realization that she was going to meet death flags in every future route had momentarily made her lose hope. However, the conviction she brought with her from her past life helped her stay strong – _I want to live_!

And the best way to survive in every route was to learn how to defend herself!

Hinata remembered enduring years of harsh physical conditioning and training to measure up to the xxxx name in her past life. The xxxx family had been proud of their physical, mental, and financial status that had been passed through ancient traditions. She grew up upholding these traditions, but her efforts had always fallen short when compared to the genius her sister and cousin both displayed.

However, it was thanks to the strenuous training she had undergone that Hinata could now use this information to strengthen her current body.

Her six-year old frame was small, even by children's standards, but Hinata knew she could train herself through daily practice and strict regimens. The first step in her plan was to increase her stamina and physical strength. Hence, she started a daily morning jog through the dense forest surrounding the Hyuuga Mansion. It had been about a month since she implemented her plan and already, her stamina and endurance was starting to grow. She had been sore the first week, but Hinata had always enjoyed running and feeling the wind flow against her body in her past, so she embraced her initial soreness and continued without complaint.

The most difficult part of her _Plan to Avoid Death Flags_ was that it was unheard of for a daughter from a noble family to partake in physical training in her country of Konoha. The country Hinata had reincarnated into was quite conservative regarding male and female roles, and the expectations placed on a noble daughter typically consisted of embroidery, etiquette, social interactions, and accounting of household affairs. Sons were taught politics, land management, physical training and swordsmanship, and other skills suitable for the occupations they sought.

Despite her limited age and experience in Konoha, Hinata knew instinctively that she should hide her physical training from others. This was why she started her morning jogs before the sun even rose and was back in her bed before her maid could find she was missing.

Realizing that she had spent too much time admiring the splendid view from the hill, Hinata started a quick pace down the hillside. She smiled and thought to herself, _I shall beat my time from yesterday!_

* * *

Hinata stared down at the elaborate breakfast laid out in front of her with trepidation. It was not the breakfast that made her anxious; rather, it was the presence of both her father and cousin Neji that unsettled her. Ever since her mother passed away, she had been taking her meals alone. Even when her mother had been alive, her father had rarely joined them for meals since his work often kept him in the Royal City. However, on this morning, her father declared that they would eat breakfast together. A small shiver threatened to overtake her body when her eyes met Neji's sharp glare across the dining table.

Her father did not seem to notice the tension in the room, and he began eating his meal. Hinata lost herself for a second as she observed her father's smooth movements. He exuded elegance and ate his meal with the grace befitting a noble Duke. Neji also followed suit with equally elegant table manners. With a determined face and attitude, Hinata attempted to copy their graceful manners. Her mother had gently guided her and taught her basic manners, such as which spoons and forks to use with which dishes, but Hinata had never had to measure herself against other dignified guests. She was thankful to see that her father did not make any scolding remarks about her etiquette.

The clink of silverware on plates was the only sound that echoed in the large dining room, however. Her father, his face impassive as ever, did not speak a word to her or Neji. Hinata bit her lip, wondering why he had called them to join for a meal then. A month had already passed with all three members of the family never sharing meals together. Why now?

Her question was never answered as the rest of breakfast passed in the same way. She could not discern what her father was thinking, and she did not even want to guess what Neji was thinking. His loathing towards her was thinly disguised these past few weeks, and she had always lost her courage when she tried to approach him.

However, today was the day. Hinata had formulated a plan to get closer to Neji in order to avoid her death flag. She had been observing him each day, hidden out of his sight, of course, and she had learned a few facts about her cousin.

He was a true genius. This, the servants her father employed had gushed about the whole month. Neji's tutor was already struggling to keep up with his academic growth, and her father's Commander of the Knights praised his natural combat ability. Despite being only seven-years old, he was calm and insightful. He held himself with pride, but he also respected her father and his elders. Hinata had also never seen him berate a servant, even when one of his new attendants had accidentally spilled hot tea on him.

In short, Neji was the perfect heir to the Hyuuga Ducal House.

Hinata was betting on his fierce pride to help her accomplish her plan.

She managed to catch him in the afternoon after his academic lessons.

"U-um, Brother Neji!" she called out to him as he walked down the hallway.

He turned to look at her, a cool glare settling on his face. It was unbefitting on a boy's face, Hinata decided.

"Yes, Lady Hinata?"

Hinata ignored his animosity and continued. "Will you please join me at the courtyard?"

"If it is your wish," he answered, barely holding back the annoyance that flashed across his face.

"Thank you."

If he was curious about her sudden invitation, he didn't show it on his face. Hinata thought he was doing a great impression of her father. She wondered for a second if the inability to show facial expressions ran in the Hyuuga Family and wished briefly that she had inherited this ability too. She was certain the hesitation and nervousness she felt was written all over her body.

The setting sun greeted their sight when Neji and Hinata reached the courtyard. The scent of flowers from her mother's garden brought an unbidden smile to her face and washed away her hesitation. She could do this. She had to, in order to strike down the death flag awaiting her!

"Why have you asked me here?" said Neji.

She met his uninterested gaze with fierce determination.

"Neji Hyuuga, I… I would like to challenge you!"

A shocked silence awaited her. Her maid Maria, who had been following behind them, stopped in her tracks confused by Hinata's uncharacteristic shout.

Neji's eyes opened wide with surprise, but he slowly formed a taunting smile. "I see. And what are the terms of your challenge, Lady Hinata?"

A flush of heat crossed her cheeks. _He thinks I have no chance of winning_, thought Hinata with slight indignation.

"I challenge you to a race," she declared. _All of my training this past month will finally pay off!_ "The winner of this race may request one favor from the loser."

"I accept your challenge," said Neji, confidence oozing from his voice.

Hinata nodded. "The race shall start at the fountain and end at the greenhouse. Maria will be our judge," she said and indicated the greenhouse that stood in the distance a kilometer away from them. Neji raised his brows at the distance, clearly not expecting such a long race.

Maria bowed in assent. Neji watched her form with a trace of a frown on his lips. Perhaps he was not as stoic as Hinata initially thought. This thought made her smile. Her cousin was still a boy after all, despite being a genius.

"Why challenge me?" asked Neji as they walked to their starting positions.

"Because I wish to know you," answered Hinata simply.

He was not satisfied with her answer, but he did not ask further.

"On three, then, Lord Neji and milady," said Maria. We both nodded once and started to get into position. "One, two… three!"

* * *

Shock framed his normally stoic face. Sweat glistened down his pale skin and dust coated his knees and palms from where he fell on the ground.

"I… I admit my defeat," he said through gritted teeth.

Hinata smiled with joy and held her hand out to him. "Thank you for racing me, Brother Neji," she said without a stutter.

Neji stared at her outstretched hand with amazement. He hesitated for a second, but he reached out and grabbed it. The touch of his small, child-like hands in hers made her heart warm. She helped pull him up and reached out to rearrange his long, black hair that had gotten out of place.

"You were hiding your true strength," he said accusingly, but he did not move away from her touch.

Hinata did not deny it. It was true. Neji had taken the lead with confident strides, but he had underestimated the distance from the fountain to the greenhouse. This, coupled with the day's intense heat had quickly sapped his stamina by the mid-point of the race. Hinata, who had predicted this, quickly surpassed his pace and set a fast run towards the finish line.

In her month of observations, she had observed that Neji was fast, strong, and efficient, but he rarely undertook stamina training due to his other commitments with academic lessons and meetings with Father. She knew in a short-distance race, Neji would surpass her, but she, who had practiced relentlessly for a month, could defeat him in a race of endurance and stamina.

"So," said Neji with a touch of distaste, "What will you request of me?"

Hinata met his strong gaze with her own. Reflected in his eyes, she could see, finally… he had recognized her. Someone worthy of his attention. Perhaps he even saw her as an equal. Not as his kid cousin whom he hated with all his heart. Hinata was giddy with relief and happiness. Was this something her game version could have achieved? Definitely not. _I will live!_ Her strong desire would help her overcome all of the death flags!

"Brother Neji," she began, "I… I only request an honest answer. Why do you hate me?"

* * *

Unfortunately, her question could not be answered immediately. Maria, who had finally caught up to the pair, quickly turned them around towards the Mansion to wash up for dinner. Sharing a meal with father again put a damper on any conversations, so a few hours passed before she could finally meet with her cousin.

She ran into him in the hallway, and he simply motioned for her to follow him into the library. Maria trailed behind them with a radiant smile. Hinata knew the reason for her joy – the cousins who had avoided each other like the plague this past month were finally playing with each other! Or so she thought.

Hinata sent Maria for tea and sat across Neji in the lounging area. He regarded her with a serious expression before speaking.

"When you were four, you contracted a serious disease after returning from the port city of Hayama." Hinata nodded, remembering her mother telling her this story, although she did not remember this time herself. "You were ill for two weeks before Duke Hiashi sent for help from my mother. She is a healer and proficient with herbs and medicines." Neji's solemn expression softened at the mention of his mother and a tinge of pride coated his tone as he spoke of her achievements.

_He loves his mother very much_, thought Hinata.

The next part of his story hardened his gaze. "After treating you, you mended quickly. However, the disease easily cured for children was a different story when contracted by adults. When she returned home, she became deathly ill. To this day, she is bedridden and relies on medicinal herbs for relief from her pain."

He turned his usual hard glare on Hinata. Her fingers gripped her dress tightly, finally understanding the reason for her cousin's hatred.

"You are the reason my mother is ill."


End file.
